Nature's beauty treatment

"My ultimate goal all along has been to create a sustainable business that not only brings the best of my hometown to the world, but also empowers our community and preserves its heritage," explains Niu.

Niu grew up surrounded by the rhythms of pastoral life. Her childhood was shaped by the slow, deliberate pace of the grasslands, where herding yaks and gathering around the hearth for yak milk tea were daily rituals.

Her grandmother used to encourage her to "study hard and one day leave these snow-capped mountains to see the world".

Buoyed by this encouragement, Niu worked harder than her peers and stood out in class.

In 2008, she initiated a water supply project in Tianzhu after finishing a project design and development program at Qinghai Normal University in neighboring Qinghai province.

"Winters in my hometown were harsh, with water sources freezing and people struggling to access water for themselves and their livestock," Niu says, adding that women had to spend hours fetching water from distant springs.

She proposed a project to install pipes that would bring water directly from the springs to each household, benefiting 60 families and a primary school.

However, securing funds wasn't easy.

"I was only 19 at the time, and many people doubted I could pull it off. My parents were especially worried, fearing I was making false promises that would reflect poorly on our family," she recalls.

But with the support of her teachers, she wrote a grant proposal that was eventually funded by East China Normal University in Shanghai.

Ultimately, the project panned out and has immensely benefited her community.